A New York Minute
by idealrain
Summary: On a Tuesday, Alan Quartermaine wonders where his little sister, Tracy, is. AU. Don’t own the characters.


"In a New York minute"

On a Tuesday, Alan Quartermaine wonders where his little sister, Tracy, is. AU. Don't own the characters.

Alan Quartermaine was finishing up paperwork when his wife, Monica, rushed into his office.

"What's wrong?"

"Turn on the TV. Someone flew a plane into the World Trade Center," She said shakily.

"Oh, God!" Alan turned pale.

"My God, Brook Lyn and Lois. I wonder if Ned knows…." Monica went to call him when she noticed her husband trembling.

"I need to go! I need to…" Alan started to hyperventilate.

"What's going on?" Monica knew Alan well enough to know there was something else going on.

"Tracy has been working there as a stockbroker for the past seven months. She's—her office is on the eighth floor. Monica, I just saw her last month. How could this happen?"

"Hey, she might've made it out. We should go home," Monica said gently.

"Mother and Father don't know that…." Alan couldn't imagine telling his parents.

Monica closed her eyes. A world without the spitfire that was her sister-in-law was inconceivable. "We need to tell them."

* * *

They returned home to find Emily, Edward and Lila glued to the TV. Alan stared at the phone. Monica gently rubbed his back.

"They sent people home from school who wanted to go," Emily said. Monica just hugged her close.

"Ned had talked to Brook Lyn and Lois and they're fine," Lila said.

Alan swallowed. "Thank God for small blessings. Mother, Father, we need to keep the phone clear."

"Why?" Lila stared into her son's eyes. Alan didn't look at them for a long moment. "Oh god. Not her. Not my baby girl."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't we know if Tracy was working there?" Edward asked.

"She was using the Morgan name. She—" Alan chuckled, "moved back into the state after a stint in Chicago. I saw her and Dillon once a month. We talked about her moving back. I told her about your cancer and our daughter, Mon. Tracy was happy you survived."

"She's going to be fine. She's a Quartermaine," Edward proclaimed.

Ned walked in to the somber room.

"What's happen? I thought we would be celebrating. My daughter is fine."

"Ned—" Alan swallowed hard.

"Oh…." Ned realized who they were wait for news of. "I, um, didn't realized she was in New York. You know, Mother doesn't usually call and Lois mentioned phone lines were down all over. I'm sure she's fine."

"Absolutely, Dad. She's going to fine." Emily added.

"We just will wait," Monica whispered to her husband.

Alan just stared at the phone.

* * *

Lois smiled at the four-year-old playing quietly with the toy bank. She had called Ned and they made arrangement for him to see Brook the next weekend.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Hello, Lois. I was—look, I know we didn't meet or part on the best terms but I just thought I would check on you and my granddaughter. We, after all, are family, whether or not we want to be." Tracy stood there with Dillon.

"Come in. Brookie, this is your grandmother and uncle, even though he's just a little older than you."

"Hi!" The four-year-old waved at Dillon, who waved back shyly.

"Go play with Brook, baby." Tracy nudged Dillon towards the toys. " I need to use your phone, mine's…." Tracy swallowed hard. "Could I use your phone?"

"Of course."

Tracy punched in the familiar number and waited.

* * *

Everyone in the living room jumped when the phone rang. They all stared at the phone. It kept ringing until Reginald said,

"Isn't anyone going to answer that?" When no one moved, he grabbed the phone and listened for a second. "Mrs. Lila, it's for you."

Lila took a deep breath, and said, "Hello?"

"The help is useless. You really need new help, Mother," Tracy said.

"Oh…..Tracy, darling, are you all right?" Lila asked, crying tears of happiness.

"I've been better. I managed to get out. But I think I probably will move on from here. Tell Ned his daughter is beautiful. " Tracy smiled at Brook Lyn.

"Here tell your son that." Lila handed the phone to Ned, who had tears in his eyes.

"Mother?"

"Edward, you have the most beautiful daughter. I think she looks like you," Tracy laughed.

"I love you, Mother. Are you coming home?"

"I don't know. We'll see. I might move to Chicago or Seattle next. But I'll keep in touch." Tracy heard a noise in the background then her brother's voice.

"Trace, I was so scared. Are you really all right?"

"I'm fine. Just shaken. Look I need to find dinner for Dillon." Tracy started to hang up the phone when Alan interrupted her.

"Father wants to say hi for a sec."

"Tracy, are you really o.k.?"

"Of course, I'm a Quartermaine. Daddy, I just want to tell you…I love you. I got to go." Tracy hung up the phone and thanked Lois.

"Are you staying in the city?" Lois asked.

"I don't have a job any more. Right now I just need to disappear. Thank you for letting me see Brook. "

"Tracy, wait." Lois found the newest picture of Brook and Ned together and handed to Tracy.

"Thank you. I'll see you sometime."

With that Tracy took Dillon's hand and disappeared into the unseen future.


End file.
